Koh Lanta or Koh Chang, which is better?

Koh Lanta is a laid-back island in the Andaman Sea in South Thailand. Koh Chang is a popular island in the eastern Gulf of Thailand in Central Thailand. Both are popular destinations for those looking for a quiet beach holiday away from busy touristy islands such as Phuket or Koh Samui.

In this article, I will compare Koh Lanta and Koh Chang, based on their locations, accommodations, beaches, attractions, nightlife, shopping, and food.

I’ve been fortunate enough to travel around Thailand, visiting many places such as Koh Lanta and Koh Chang. This has given me a solid understanding of the local way of life and the best places to visit. So, I hope to give you some useful information from my personal experiences.

Is it better to visit Koh Lanta or Koh Chang?

Generally speaking, Koh Chang is better than Koh Lanta if you want a wider range of tourist amenities, activities, and lively nightlife. It’s a more developed island with more waterfalls, hiking trails, and viewpoints to explore. It’s ideal for those who want a beach holiday close to Bangkok.

Koh Lanta is better than Koh Chang if you want a more laid-back atmosphere and a bit less touristy. The island is all about the beaches with limited nightlife, shops, viewpoints, waterfalls, and hiking trails. It’s an ideal destination for those already in southern Thailand or near the Andaman Sea.

I enjoyed my visit in both Koh Lanta and Koh Chang. In Koh Chang, I like the lively nightlife scene in White Sand Beach, the hike to Salak Phet Mountain, and the peaceful trek to Khlong Phlu Falls. I also enjoyed a relaxing drive on the east coast, visiting the mangrove walkway, and the Chinese temple.

In Koh Lanta, I rented a scooter to explore both Ko Lanta Yai (Big island) and Ko Lanta Noi (small island). Beside the main beaches, I enjoyed exploring secluded beaches like Ao Nui Bay and Nui Beach. The hike in the Ko Mu Lanta National Park and the visit to Old Town are also highlights of my trip.

If you are in Koh Chang, you can easily visit its sister islands, Koh Mak and Koh Kood. These islands have a more laid-back atmosphere. If you’re in Koh Lanta, you can get day trips to the famous Koh Phi Phi, Koh Hong islands, or Railay Beach.

My recommend hotels in Ko Lanta:

My top hotel picks in Koh Chang:

Location & How to Get There

Koh Chang is located in the eastern Gulf of Thailand, in Central Thailand, close to Koh Mak, and Koh Kood. It is around a 5 hour drive on the road and a 1 hour boat ride from Bangkok.

Koh Lanta is located in the Andaman Sea, in South Thailand, close to Krabi and Phuket. It is an around 2-3 hour boat ride from these islands to Koh Latan.

Based on their locations, Koh Chang is a better place to visit if you want to explore somewhere close to Bangkok. Koh Lanta is a better place to visit if you want to explore South Thailand.

There is no airport on either Koh Chang or Koh Lanta. But, there are numerous airports nearby these islands. Koh Chang is close to Trat Airport, and Koh Lanta is close to Phuket Airport and Krabi Airport.

To reach Koh Chang from Bangkok, you can take a bus or drive to Ao Thammachat Pier (about 4-5 hours), then catch a 1-hour boat ride to the island. You can fly from Bangkok airport to Trat airport, then take a 15-minute taxi ride to Ao Thammachat Pier then boat to the island.

Koh Lanta is also only accessible by boats. To reach this island, you need to find the way to nearby piers first such as Phuket Pier, Krabi/ Ao Nang Pier, then take boats to these islands.

Beaches

white Sand Beach Koh Chang — White Sand Beach Koh Chang

Both Koh Lanta and Koh Chang have long stretches of beaches with a laid-back atmosphere. The beaches are great for swimming, sunbathing, and watching the sunset. The beaches in Koh Chang have a bit livelier atmosphere than Koh Lan because it is a more developed island.

The beaches on both islands are centered on the west coast. Major beaches on Lanta are Long Beach, Klong Dao, Klong Khong, Klong Nin, or Kantiang Bay. There are many secluded coves in the southern part of the island with no hotels on it such as Nui Beach or Ao Nui Bay.

Major beaches in Koh Chang are White Sand beach, Klong Prao, Lonely Beach, and Kai Bae Beach. White Sand Beach is the tourist hub of the island, and is very lively in the evening with beachfront bars, restaurants, and fire shows.

Accommodations

Both Koh Chang and Koh Lanta have a wide range of accommodations for all budgets and preferences. As the more popular island, Koh Chang has more luxury options.

The accommodations are often in high demand on both islands in the pearl season, from November to May. So make sure to book well in advance to secure your hotel.

See more:

Nightlife

Koh Chang, without a doubt, is better than Koh Lanta in terms of nightlife. The nightlife hub of Koh Chang is White Sand Beach, but other popular beach towns such as Pearl Beach, Lonely Beach, and Kai Bae also have a good range of bars, and restaurants.

NIghtlife Koh Chang — Nightlife Koh Chang

White Sand Beach becomes more lively when the sun goes down. There are many tables, chairs, and bean bags set up on the beachfront. You can enjoy the meals, drinks, watch live music performances, and fire shows. The main road also has a cluster of bars to explore.

The nightlife on Koh Lanta is much quieter than on Koh Chang, across all the beaches and towns. In the main town, you can go to the night markets and search for nice restaurants to eat. There are some bars in Long Beach, Klong Khong, and Klong Nin Beach. This island is a perfect place for relaxation.

Shopping

Neither island is one of the best places to shop in Thailand. But they have shops selling popular Thai souvenirs for tourists. There are more shops in Koh Chang as it is a more developed island.

The shops in Koh Chang are concentrated on the main road in White Sand Beach. You can find Thai handicrafts, bikinis, board shorts, sarongs, and flip-flops easily. The Bang Bao Fisherman Village is also a great place to do shopping, eat seafood, or book a boat tour.

There are fewer shops in Koh Lanta. The shops are concentrated in the main village, Sala Dan and in Lanta Old Town. You can find everything from local crafts to cheap jewelry and trinkets.

Food

You can find typical Thai food and fresh seafood on both islands. There are more halal food options in Koh Lanta as this island has a large Muslim population of Muslim. Koh Chang is more developed, so it has a wider range of food choices including restaurants serving international dishes.

Koh Chang has many restaurants in the main town areas such as White Sand, Kai Bae, Klong Prao, or Lonely Beach. There are street food stalls at night markets on the main road in White Sand Beach.

Koh Lanta has fewer restaurant options, but you will be able to find good places to eat in each beach town. There is also a night market in Sala Dan Village, where you can find street food stalls and souvenir stands. There are some nice waterfront restaurants near Sala Dan Pier and in Lanta Old Town.

Cultural & Natural attractions

Apart from the quiet beaches, Koh Lanta and Koh Chang have some local cultural and natural attractions to explore. In Koh Lanta, you can visit the Old Town and Mu Ko Lanta National Park. In Koh Chang, there are Buddhist temples, mangrove walkways, viewpoints, fishing villages, and waterfalls.

Koh Lanta Old Town is a historic part of the island that offers a glimpse into local life and traditional architecture. The town is full of wooden houses, old shops, and restaurants. It’s a great place to wander and explore the history of the island with influences from Chinese, Thai, and Malay cultures.

You can go hiking at the Mu Ko Lanta National Park at the southern tip of the island, go hiking at the natural trails (very steep at some parts), and check out the peaceful Klong Chak Waterfall.

In Lanta, if you take the Around the island sightseeing tour, the driver will take you to most popular sights such as the Chinese temple near the main pier, Salak Phet Mangrove Forest and its temple, Klong Plu Waterfall, Kai Bae Viewpoint, or Bang Bao Fisherman Village.

Additionally, you can go hiking at the mountain in the southern tip of the island. It is a steep hike, so make sure you’re fit enough to do the hike. The views from the top are absolutely rewarding.

Island Hopping

There are plenty of island hopping tours from both Koh Lanta and Koh Chang. Koh Chang is a great base to visit the islands on the Gulf of Thailand, and Koh Lanta is a great base to explore the island in the Andaman Sea.

There are many snorkeling and diving tours available from both islands. Popular boat tours from Koh Chang are the 3-4 islands tours visiting Koh Wai, Koh Lek, and Koh Rang Yai. Koh Mak and Koh Kood are also within 1-2 hours boat ride from Koh Chang.

From Koh Lanta, you can take boat trips to Phi Phi island, Railay/ Ao Nang, Koh Hong, James Bond islands, or Koh Rok. The islands in the Andaman Sea are usually more busy and touristy than the islands in the eastern Gulf of Thailand.

Getting Around

You can explore each island by taking guided tours, renting a scooter, and using local taxi/ songthaews. They are both undeveloped islands compared to Phuket and Koh Samui, so there are no riding shares ( Grab, Bolt, InDrive) in either Koh Lanta or Koh Chang.

Renting a scooter is a popular way to explore these islands. Koh Lanta has flatter terrain, making it easier to get around on a scooter. Koh Chang has steeper, more winding roads, so it’s important to be extra cautious when driving a scooter.

I rented a scooter in Koh Lanta and took guided tours in Koh Chang. With a scooter, I drove around the island at my own pace and I chose the place I wanted to visit.

In Koh Chang, I took a sightseeing tour, which took me to major sights and beaches around the island. I also take a hiking tour, which takes me to the top of Salak Phet Mountain.